Vintage 2.0 – Glossy Retro Takes Over Web Design

An Inspired Mag reader said a few posts ago that the round corner buttons are dead. I think precisely the same mate, I know how you feel about the so-called web 2.0 buttons and shiny blingos! But what about this new futuretro style, that combines the web 2.0 (clean) look with a vintage touch?

We’ve made a roundup of 25 websites that mix the retro with the shiny. What do you guys think about this style?Feed Stitch

What parts of “vintage” are being preserved? At what point does it just become “Web 2.0” It must be the CYMK palette that sustains the printed look, because the 3D shapes and typography are a mesh of genres. Great collection!

Nice collection. Some weird applications of the style (retro SEO?). There’s something to be said for tactileness other than basic rounded corners. The feedstitch illo is cool.

Check out this one I came across the other day:http://www.simpleshoes.com/
…Technically speaking their logo is an example of poor screen printing registration. Looks like they should stick to making shoes. ;-)

Hey! Thanks for mentioning us (www.aepsec.co.uk) on here. We changed the site earlier in the year from a well received previous design (appeared in Smashing Magazine amongst others) and seeing this made us think we made the right decision.

I truely feel this is the future of design. I think everyone is sick of the slick look. The technology outlets in this world have brought us to this world of intangible goods, and this style makes us feel more connected to it. LET GO OF THE IPOD LOOK

karatejon

I think it all depends who your target audience is. I realize that the design community is very into the retro look right now, but in all practicality the majority of the websites I've seen using that design style are designed for designers… kind of an echo chamber effect.

I think it's more important to produce well-designed pieces in multiple styles rather than to jump on the bandwagon as each new trend comes along.

this is a great collection of sites, but i’m not sure that it’s indicative of a “trend”. this style has been around for years already (predating the glossy, slick look). some of these examples themselves are pushing 5 years old.

I enjoyed looking at these. I agree with karatejon that it depends on the target audience whether the style is appropriate. One site really stood out to me for its simplicity, even though it might not have been the most visually attractive. AESPEC. Some sites were visually interesting, but hard to understand at a glance which I find irritating.

Nice collection. I agree with Karatejon and DD. It´s all based on my target audience. I hate the idea to just use one style because it´s “the big thing” to do to be hip. Those designs are a little hyperactive and hard to read and it feels like watching an old MTV video :). But as I said before. It´s a matter of target audience and content that defines the design. My main goal as a designer is to build the design around the content. not the content around the design.